Switch-heel rail joint



May 20, 1924; 'r 1,495,069

C. A. DISBROW SWITCH HEEL RAIL JOINT Filed Dec 1, 1923 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 C'larksofi Disfirow,

W/T/vEssEs May 2%, 1924. I v 1,495,969

c. A. DISBROW- SWITCH' HEEL RAIL JOINT Filed Dec. 1, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r 7a 18 u j Jnowntoz 74 Clark-S072 ,Disbrow Patented May 20, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,495,06 v Pa TE CLARZKSON A. DISBBOW, or NEW nocHnLLE, (YORK, .essreivon mo TH KRI'L JOINT COMPANY, OF'NEW YORK, 1'\T. Y., A IGORPQRA'IION' dF"N-EW Yonx.

SWITCH-HEEL RAILfl'bIN-T.

Application filed December 1,-1923. Serial No. 77,960.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, CLARKSON A. DIS- BROW, citizen of the United States, residing at New Rochelle, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have, invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Heel Rail Joints, of which rail.

the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvemen in switch heel rail joints ofthe type wherein the switch rail is capable of being flexed about the rail joint as its fulcrum.

In practice, the joint at the heel of a switch connects a stationary rail with the switch rail, and the point of the switch rail is movable laterally a maximum distance usually of approximately five inches. Prior to the use of heavy rail sections, which are now-replacing very generally the old lighter rail sections, therewas no'need to provide specially for any flexibility in the switch heel joint, as the switch rail itself had suflicient inherent flexibility to allow the point to be moved the required distance. However, with the heavier rail sections now in use, and the correspondingly heavier joint bars, it is generally impossible properly. and safely to throw the switch point without first loosening the bolts in the joint at the end of the switch As a matter of fact,'it is quite conimon, in maintenance practice, to loosen sufficiently the bolts in the joint at the heel of the switch rail so as to permit freedom for lateral movement whereby the switch point may be easily thrown from one position to the other. An objection to this practice, is that the loosened bolts allow for, play, and this results in wear to the parts.

This invention, therefore, primarily-has in view the provision of a joint forguse at the heel ofa switch in which the bolts are kept tight at all times, .yet permitting ithe required lateral movement of Y the switch rail to be made without straining anyp'apt or parts ofthestructure.' I With the :above and other objects in v ew which will more readily appear as .the-nafture of the invention is better understood,

the a same consists in the vnovel construction, combination and arrangement. otfiparts heeinafter more fully described, ill-us-f trated and claimed. Y

Cer in Preferred cn irs ti' e embqd which it the fi hing spam 5 f he m le 2 I tndiii 119 m n s f t ei en'tion Shiva in th ac m n n n r -W ngs {in w ichh Figure .1 isia top plan the application oiivone form of my improxie'd Y switch heel ,railjoi-nt toga switch rail, contiguousfixedrail.

F u 2 i a P pectiv v ew o the joint, theswjitch 'raili showing in "section,

i h-i fl fih j int-1. Fig re 3/ 2 Pe ec ive v ew. hpu ns 65 another, form of my vinvention as applied to r a frog and switch joint {and Figurelt is a sectionalfview of. 1

lai e e siw msi fii a p rt hr ughbli im kWmi ,figur T1 he raw 'I' A 1 l r yings he. rese t inre i'i e ie it ies "fl-pn po d fi zad y 9 .1 th i Q i t ba'rs tha e hybe r2 a greater [flexibility attire than, a ot r, 42 1 ?!P v 1 switch point .106 1d, laterally easeoand without the necessity of loosen ng any bi t Qltsv-i h eieii -gh I I Q 1 1 plicati n ifhe inrenb en [ist n the nu l" 1 liel i riate h .rl' l of a k, 2 thej 'w f ipq ii ra was th fixed rail of 'thesyv ch, the rails '2 and 3 b ngdisp s l je b ns 41 1.ne d Joy a joint 4; The ij'oint' 4awh'iqh is g I hated ii g r s. efih n1?" .i ype; and ncl de joint'bar firbs. each be: compr s g n upri t fi h n "m i be 4:5

90 d a -.f0 ,fla g'e 7- Whi h ,q er i h a flan Q s d. "m ls, an' lrhe bas flange vhi his "ma ma nn eted Lt the foot flange Zan'dleiitends inwardly be neath said'rails. a Thej-j ienthbar jfim y he lQ lls fiitfi anyzsuitable main ner but usually {and prefm y yir lif s.mi iandi h arine tions but regardlessoi, the m thodfe'f vma W form it er'e j e n th u hout in the eets ha -is t i -.n Q1 the he timeswiehgr ilv,

siderable flexibility to that part of the oint bar which fits in the fishing space of the switch railJiln this joint, the'endportion of the fix'edrail 3 has the support of the full section jof 'the joint bars 5, and'so has the extreme end of the switch rail 2 because said extreme'end will have practically no, lateral movement. The latera l move ment of the switehrailwill 'be' progressively increased towards the. switch. end of the joint bars,and the slots 9 provide suflicient space .to permit the switch rail-to be flexed laterally in either dire ction. Thus one end of the joint barhas one end of greater flexibility than the-other. In order toincrease the flexibility ofthe joint barsg5 I may form the upright fishing mernberfi ofeach bar with a longitudinal slot or kerfull which may extend inwardly from the switch end thereof. This slot 11 preferably, but not necessarily, communicates with the adjacent bolt opening 11 which is alsoformed in said fishing member. ,Thus', when the switch rail is shifted laterally the sw tch end portions of thejoint bars 6 "willloe com-' pressedby reason o'fgtheir upper. and lower 35 edges contacting with the fishing surfaces of the rail. The compression of this end of either joint bar gives to the switch rail an increased freedom .in its lateral movement.

In Figures 3 and {of the drawings, the invention is shown. applied to a frog and switch'joint. This joint include's in its organization the switch trail 2, and the fixed rail 3 which areconnected by the joint bars 12 and 13. In this form .of construction one ofthe joint bars, that is, the joint bar 12, is of the continuous-type which is provided with a basesupportingflange 14: extendi g entirely across the undersides of the meeting ends of the rails, and. also including the upright flshingjmernber lfi .and the foot flange l6. lnlthislform of com struction the foot flange 16 of. the continuous-type bar is shown provided with a longitudinally disposed slot or' kerf. 17 extending inwardly from one end of the bar, and correspondingin .location. and function to the slot orkerf9 shown in. Figure..2.of the drawings. .Theopposite joint; bar 1 3 in this'frog and; switch joint is 'of the an gle b ar type having the usual upright fish foot d ise 16" be n ear d or c t a y at one end. of thebar'jasat 17; to provide a flexible' end portibn jth page. fit the fishing space of the switch mil. Furthermember and the. foot flange 16?, said the/joint bars are so constructed as to pro vide theswitch ends thereof with greater flexibility than the other ends, thus per mitting the switch rail section to be shifted laterally in either direction with ease.

Without further'des r is thought that the features and advantages of the-imvent ion will be readily apparent to those skilledin theeart, and it will, of course, be

understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details" of construction may be resorted to, without departing from thespirit of the invention and appended claims." 7

Iclaim: l 1. A switch heel rail joint including a joint bar having one end of, greater flexibility than the other. i

scope of the joint bar having thes witch end of greater flexibility than the other. i 1 B A sW itch ,heel rail; joint including' a j'oint bar having at onefend thereof a portion of the metal removed to provide greater flexibility at said end than at the other. I

.4. Al switch ,heel rail joint, including'a 2. A switch heel railf joint including a joint bar having atone end thereof a longi tudinally extending recess to provide greater I flexibility at said, end than at the other. e

A switch ,heel rail joint including a joint barhaving a foot flange, said foot flange having at one end thereof a portion ofmetal removed to provide greaterflexibility at said end than at the other. 6. A switchjheel rail joint including a jointbar having a foot flange, said foot flangehaving at oneend thereof a longitudinally extendingiiecess to provide greater flexibility at said'endthanfat thelotheri 7,. A switch heel rail joint including a joint'par fhaving a footflange, said .foot flange havingat one end thereof 'a lon gi tudinally extending slot to provide greater flexibility atsaidend than at the other; 7 '8. switch heel irail jointincludinga joint bar 'having la .foot flange; said foot flange having. at' one end thereof a longi tudinally extending slot' to provide greater flexibility at said end than at theoth'eflthei end of said slot.

9; A switch heel rail teit including a 10. A switch heel rail joint including a joint bar having an upright fishing member, said fishing member having at one end a longitudinally extending slot to effect a greater flexibility at said end than at the other.

11. A switch heel rail joint including a joint bar having an upright fishing member, said fishing member having a boltopening formed therein adjacent one end thereof and having a longitudinal slot extending from said end and communicating with said opening to effect a greater flexibility at said end than at the other.

12. A. switch heel rail joint including a joint bar comprising an upright fishing member and a footflange, said fishing memher and flange being respectively formed with longitudinal slots at one end of the bar to effect a greater flexibility at said end than at the other. i

13. A continuous switch heel rail joint comprising its fixed and switch, rails, and joint bars connecting said rails and respec tively having one end of greater flexibility than the other.

14. A switch heel rail joint including the fixed rail and the switch rail, of joint bars having slotted end portions engaging the heel of the switch rail.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CLARKSON A. DISBROW.

Witnesses:

E. K. KERSHNER, E. L. GEOFF. 

